1873 - Old Forge Coal Mines

8 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE
In the Ashland district the shipments are larger, the collieries are newer
and more numerous and a larger force employed ;
the coal seams are thicker
as a generality ;
the working of mines are more dangerous than when the
seams are thiner and risks are more consequent.
In regard to shaft and slope accidents the case, is not so favorable as
might be expected. Eight persons lost their lives by the brakage of ropes
and chains, the parties themselves being in a great measure responsible for
and accessory to these misfortunes by their unguarded conduct in the premises,
acting in contravention of law.
Steam boilers, too, are much better attended to, the engineers and superintendents
of mines are evincing greater industry in their safety and condition
than was the case in former times.
Ingress and egress safety roads are more numerous, and communications
made more safer for miners to travel in for their safety and health ; the
parties that surfer from this class of accidents, appears, are themselves
much to blame.
Coal, rock and slate falls have proved very disastrous, but investigations
into this class of accidents show that the party victims are, in a great
measure, responsible for these casualties ; it being more the result of heedlessness
and inattention than any want of supporting materials. Fiftyeight
persons lost their lives by this class of accidents.
Haulage in mines. This is a subject which deserves attention, and without
a proper observance of and a compliance with the working regulations
of a mine by this class of employees, and its enforcement b}' the bosses, it
will always result in injury; some 22 persons lost their lives by being run
over and crushed by mine wagons. Haulage will always be a prolific
source of casualties ; as it is known some 8,000,000 tons of coal have been
mined, and about as much more of impurities, that the haulage of so large
an amount of matter under ground will, in a measure, otter a palliation for
these accidents, and that, too, when handled by the most irresponsible and
incorrigible of the force employed.
Powder and blast explosions are and always will be a standing menace
to miners' safety, and until a better system be adopted and a more stringent
regulation be enforced, that this danger may be ameliorated, the handling
of powder in mines is frought with great danger.
Fire-damp explosions command the highest rank in mine dangers, and
are the source of a large share of misery and expenditure, and one of the
most difficult elements to control. Gases are not as well understood by
the miners as should be, and we find this to be the case lately, when old
practical miners are under examination, that few only have any reasonable
intelligence of gases.
For this reason wc consider it to be a duty to bring to these reports such
information as may in any way benefit the mining classes by selecting extracts
from the works of proper authors on mines, mining, gases, instilments,
etc., and what information we are able to impart from our own experience,
carefully avoiding the introduction of any unfounded theory that
lead to mistaken ideas. Not having the remotest desire or ambition to appear
as instructor in this connection, further than to explain the uses of
the instruments used in mines and the nature and character of gases ;
this,
in behalf of miners, we feel it our duty to impart, and for which we have
the encouraging approval of public sentiment and the generous kindness
of man}- gentlemen who accord to us the fullest liberty of their libraries,
from which to select subjects, from the works of eminent authors, for oui
study and guidance in matter selected for this report. Although meeting
with some reflections from a few parties that claim a higher distinction to